Fearnhill School: school finances
In deficit
In deficit by £122k, 2% of a year's income: it has spent more over the years than it received.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Hertfordshire · Secondary · Foundation school.
Reserve at the end of each year, 2018-19 to 2025-26
Income and spending, 2018-19 to 2025-26
Income Spending
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Income | Spending | Balance | Reserve | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-19 | £3.3m | £3.4m | -£98k | -£194k | 420 |
2019-20 | £3.4m | £3.4m | -£32k | -£226k | 475 |
2020-21 | £3.2m | £3.3m | -£76k | -£302k | 503 |
2021-22 | £3.5m | £3.5m | +£2k | -£299k | 516 |
2022-23 | £3.8m | £3.9m | -£161k | -£460k | 570 |
2023-24 | £4.5m | £4.3m | +£145k | -£315k | 596 |
2024-25 | £5.1m | £4.9m | +£237k | -£79k | 601 |
2025-26 | £5.4m | £5.4m | -£43k | -£122k | 597 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 secondary schools outside London closest in size and in the share of pupils on free school meals. Its reserve, as a share of income, is higher than 17% of them. It spends £9,116 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £8,439.
This school Middle half of similar schools Similar schools’ median
Show the comparison as a table
| Spending per pupil | This school | Similar schools (median) | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
Teachers | £5,336 | £4,353 | £4,154–£4,841 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,020 | £1,085 | £794–£1,289 |
Supply staff | £46 | £188 | £84–£409 |
Admin and clerical | £647 | £504 | £359–£592 |
Premises | £515 | £534 | £417–£636 |
Energy | £103 | £168 | £133–£226 |
Learning resources & ICT | £544 | £479 | £365–£603 |
Bought-in services | £175 | £120 | £45–£230 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Moor Park High School Large reserves
- Eden Girls' School, Coventry Large reserves
- John Smeaton Academy In deficit
- Thomas Middlecott Academy Large reserves
- Woodfield Academy Large reserves
- The Hereford Church of England Academy In deficit
- Burnley High School Large reserves
- The Open Academy Tight
- The Valley Leadership Academy In deficit
- Oasis Academy Immingham Large reserves
- North Kesteven Academy Tight
- The Winstanley School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £5.1m | £8,620 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £109k | £182 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £231k | £387 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £253k | £424 |
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTA committees.
- Is there a deficit recovery plan agreed with the council, and when does the school expect to be back in balance?
- What has been cut or changed to close the gap, and how does that affect classes and support staff?
- Spending on teachers is £5,336 a pupil, against a typical £4,353 for similar schools. What's behind that?
Check these figures
Every figure here comes from the school's published return to the DfE. Check it on the DfE benchmarking page for this school, and see how the status is worked out.
Admissions, Ofsted and results for Fearnhill School · All Hertfordshire school finances